I saw a team that ran the ball and stayed committed to the run even though it wasn't always effective. I saw a team that played their type of game and made plays when they had to make them. I saw a high-paid defensive end who consistently put pressure on the quarterback. I saw a defensive secondary that made receivers work for every reception and made plays on the ball when possible. I saw a team that was well coached and knew what it had to do to win a football game.In short, I saw a good football team.

Unfortunately, I saw these things while I was watching the Falcons.

And that's about the best way to sum up this game. Very often I found myself watching the game and wishing we would do more of the things that Atlanta did. They didn't turn the ball over; we did. They made big plays on defense; we didn't. They were efficient and precise on offense; we weren't.

The end result? A 14-point loss that wasn't nearly as close as the score indicates. And when you're saying that a 14-point loss was actually worse than the score, that's saying something.

Lance Moore. There weren't really any positives from the offensive side of the ball but Moore played a good game. He ran good routes and had good hands when the ball came his way. He also showed his opportunistic side when he caught the tipped Hail Mary on the last play of the game. He finished with 6 receptions for 76 yards and 1 touchdown.

The Rickey Jackson Defensive Player of the Week Award

Scott Fujita. Fujita finished with 11 solo tackles against the Falcons. He was very active against the run and was decent in pass coverage. In his previous two games Fujita had a combined 7 tackles, so hopefully the 11 solo tackles is a sign of things to come.

The Steve Gleason Special Teams Player of the Week Award

Garrett Hartley. Hartley began his career as a Saint by making both extra points he attempted along with knocking in both field goals, one of which was from 44 yards. He also had a touchback on one of his kickoffs.

Fantasy Focus

Even though Drew Brees had a mediocre day as a real-life quarterback, he still put up good numbers as a fantasy quarterback. He finished with over 400 yards passing and 2 touchdowns. I picked up Lance Moore today to start for me because I had other receivers who were on bye weeks so you could imagine the mix of emotions I felt when Moore caught the Hail Mary from Brees. Deuce scored a touchdown on a pass reception but only had 7 total touches. Colston made a nice return as he grabbed 7 balls for 140 yards.

Short Yardage

+ I'm starting to hate this Dan Marino passing yardage record. It's pointless, misleading, and ultimately, irrelevant in determining wins and losses. Brees threw for 422 yards against Atlanta, putting him at 2,985 for the season. Marino's record is 5,084 and Brees has a great shot at breaking it. However, Brees also has a great shot at being home at the end of December.

+ The Saints averaged 6.2 yards per carry. However, they only ran the ball 17 times. Atlanta averaged only 3.1 yards per carry. Despite that, they still decided to run the ball 36 times. Atlanta won the game in convincing fashion. Sometimes you just have to run the ball whether it is effective or not. You need to run the ball to control the clock and to keep the defense honest. Atlanta understand this.

+ It was good to see Colston back in action but he's still not himself. There were a couple of balls that he didn't come up with that he normally would. That said, he still managed to be a factor in the game. While the Saints passing attack didn't struggle too much without him, he brings them the big, physical target that they lack when he is not on the field.

+ I don't know what to make of Jeremy Shockey. To say he's been a disappointment thus far would be an understatement but it's still too early to make any judgments. He hasn't been totally healthy since he's been a Saint and today obviously wasn't his best day. I wouldn't make too much of the spat between him and Drew today. Both guys are passionate, competitive players who want to win. When you have guys like that on your team you are going to have incidents like this. It's not the end of the world.

+ I have to think that when the Saints gave Charles Grant and Will Smith those contracts that they envisioned them playing like John Abraham. It hasn't happened. Everyone already knows Charles' situation and Will Smith was once again non-existent today. His final stat line: 1 tackle, 1 assist. I know he affects the game in other ways, but it's time for him to start affecting it in a way that can be measured and felt.

+ The Falcons totally took Jonathan Vilma out of the equation. He has been the bright spot of the defense so far thus season but he wasn't at his finest against Atlanta. He finished with 2 tackles and 1 assist in a game that he'd surely like to have back.

+ Upon hearing the news that Mike McKenzie has broken his knee cap I wanted to cry. Mike has been the best player on the Saints defense for a couple of seasons now and this more than likely marks the beginning of the end for him. Sure he can rehab and come back but chances are he won't be the same. The cornerback position is extremely demanding and this will be his second major knee surgery in two years. By all accounts he's a great guy and I hope for the best for him. He will be sorely missed.

Looking Ahead

The Saints will play yet another game away from the Superdome, this one against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs have been horrible this season but did take San Diego down to the wire on Sunday. This is a game that the Saints should win, and I think they will, but nothing is promised. Reggie will be back and it will be interesting how this changes Payton's playcalling. I'll be in Las Vegas on a mini-vacation next weekend so I won't post a write-up immediately, but I will keep a running diary of what transpires as I watch the game in a Vegas Sports Book. Hopefully the weekend doesn't end with the Saints losing, followed by me throwing myself into oncoming traffic on The Strip...